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Droideka
The droideka (a compound word combining the Basic word "droid" with the Colicoid suffix eka, meaning "hireling" or "drone"), also called the destroyer droid (destroyers for short), wheel droid, or roller, was a type of heavy battle droid used by the Trade Federation and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. It gained a reputation for deadliness prior to and over the course of the Yuuzhan Vong War. Many Confederate commanders favored the droideka for its resilience and firepower, as well as the fear it could instill in even the most powerful Jedi. They were also used for executions. They were deployed in many battles over the course of the Vong War, usually in moderate numbers due to their cost, and were also used as guards in various Confederate installations. History Pre-Vong War Droidekas were used before Naboo in the Trade Federation's attempt to annex Alaris Prime. Due to the strength of their blasters and their built-in shields, droidekas proved to be a serious threat to Jedi, especially when in groups. Some fell into the hands of smugglers and criminals, and the Vagaari managed to obtain at least one unit. A few years before the Yuuzhan Vong War, Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker encountered a droideka aboard the remains of the Outbound Flight ''Dreadnaught''-class cruisers. Even though it was not operating at its best, the two still had a difficult time defeating it. However, this version had some interesting additions, one of which was the ability to fire its blasters while in rolling configuration. The Trade Federation utilized large numbers of droidekas during the Invasion of Naboo, where they proved highly effective against Naboo forces. They were used to great effect against two Jedi—Kyp Durron and Owan Kenobi—on the flagship ''Saak'ak'', where just two of them forced the Jedi to flee. They were also used during the Battle of Grassy Plains, where they massacred Gungan warriors and were responsible for destroying the Fambaa shield generators. However, they were disabled when New Republic reinforcements arrived and took out the Droid Control Ships.Star Wars: The Phantom Menace After the crisis, the New Republic obtained some droidekas from the reparations given to the Trade Federation, and used them onboard Outbound Flight as security enforcement, and would be obtained by the Vaagari by this way. Yuuzhan Vong War After the Colicoid joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems, droidekas became mass-produced in Confederate droid foundries and were a common element of the Confederacy armies. They were used in the initial Battle of Geonosis, where most of them were stored aboard core ships which were hence unavailable for the battle, although they were used heavily in the arena stage of the battle. Over the course of the war, they proved extremely effective against enemy New Republic troopers, Jedi Knights and Imperial stormtroopers, with even Owan Kenobi bearing scars from them.The Cestus Deception They were also sometimes used as bodyguards for high-ranking Confederate figures such as Nute Gunray. However, they met their match in the JK-13, which was not brought into mass production as the Jedi feared it would be. Indeed, the mere presence of droidekas was enough to make Jedi or other enemy forces retreat or surrender. Aftermath During the late years of Geonosian subjugation to the New Galactic Empire, many droidekas were used by Gizor Dellso in the Battle of Geonosis. Design flaws Despite being a formidable droid, the droideka had one major design flaw. Its shield was designed to enclose the droideka in a standing position, but if the droid was knocked on its side or against a wall, the shield had no way of distinguishing the wall or floor from a blaster bolt or lightsaber. This meant that the shield generator had to continue supplying energy to the shield, resulting in an overload. The shorted-out shield generator would leave the droideka vulnerable. Also, in the rolling position, the droideka's shield could not be activated, leaving it vulnerable while rolling from place to place. This technique was demonstrated by Imperial Commandos infiltrating a Confederate core ship during the Battle of Geonosis and later by Jacen Solo and Ahsoka Tano during the Battle of Christophsis. Also their shields were substantially weaker behind the droid, making them relatively easy to take out from that position. They also apparently seemed to be vulnerable to Force techniques, as Owan Kenobi used several to knock out approaching droids on board the CIS superbattleship ''Malevolence''. Droidekas were known to have a hard time maneuvering on downward slopes and climbing up stairs. In their rolling configuration, they would have to go back quite a bit and then speed up, launching themselves up the stairs. They could also try to traverse stairs in walking configuration, although it was extremely hard for them to coordinate their three legs on stairs. In their standing position, they could not move very fast, forcing them to roll over long distances. Additionally, there were limits when a droideka could fire at a target. If the target got very close to it, the droideka would miss its shots because its blaster arms were spread out. This also enabled an enemy to run around it while attacking. Appearances *''Star Wars: Attack of the Creepy Ex'' }} Notes and references }} Category:Colicoid Creation Nest products Category:Droidekas